War Lord

Timothy Dalton revealed a ruthless side to Rassilon, the founder of Time Lord civilisation, in The End of Time.

The End of Time Part One (2009) begins as the familiar voice of actor Timothy Dalton describes the demise of planet Earth, his eloquent tones the embodiment of gravitas and authority. When Dalton’s narrator is revealed at the end of the episode, he is rallying the assembled ranks of Time Lords on their home planet. He issues the spine-chilling battle cry: “For Gallifrey! For victory! For the end of time itself!” And you believe every word.

Timothy Dalton’s career encompasses TV shows such as Penny Dreadful and blockbuster James Bond films as much as Shakespeare, although theatre remains his first love. With a mixture of frankness and humility, Dalton told Doctor Who Magazine in 2009: “I’m not a beginner. I’m good at what I do, and I’ve had a successful career – still have, I hope – but there’s something implicit in the word ‘star’ that makes people think they’re above other people… Actors work together. We’re a community. We have to be open with each other, and trust each other, and that rather breaks through the sense of elitism or stardom.”

About Doctor Who Magazine

The Doctor’s own people, and his home planet, were introduced in 1969 as a major chapter in the series’ history came to an end. Five decades later, the Time Lords and their devastating war with the Daleks are still essential parts of Doctor Who’s mythology. This special publication analyses every story set on Gallifrey, reveals previously unseen images from the making of the episodes and interviews key players in the Time Lords’ fascinating story.